The main topic of conversation following the Carleton University Homecoming football game Saturday should have been the record-setting performance of Ravens Nathan Carter and a winning effort by the home team.

Instead it was about disappointment and missed opportunities as the Ravens blew a 30-10 second-half lead on the way to a 45-43 loss to the Waterloo Warriors.

The same Warriors who were winless in 16 games over the past two Ontario University Athletics football seasons, scored touchdowns on their first five possessions of the second half.

Even so, the Ravens had a chance to tie the game with 12 seconds left, following a 20-yard touchdown catch by Wilson Birch, but quarterback Michael Arruda was hauled down by Warriors defender Lautaro Frecha while trying to score a two-point conversion.

Game over, homecoming ruined.

“In the first half, we came really confident and we were ready to play. We went into halftime and they had scored a touchdown and we got down on ourselves,” Ravens receiver Simon Beeksma said.

“They went in and game-planned and we came out in the second half flat. We got complacent in the fact that we were up by 20.”

After the Warriors took a 31-30 lead on a 52-yard touchdown run by Dion Pellerin, the Ravens responded with a 72-yard touchdown pass from Arruda to Philippe Iloki.

However, Pellerin scored another touchdown from 60 yards out a couple of minutes later, and Lucas McConnell threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Lam Diing to put the Warriors up 45-37.

“It’s rough to know that we lost a game we should have won. There’s not much to say. We need to do better. Mental mistakes is all it is,” said Carter, who rushed for 274 yards on 22 carriers, breaking the Ravens’ single-game record of 258 yards set last season by Jayde Rowe.

“I’m proud of myself. I set out to break a record this season and I did. The offence line worked extremely well and I give the credit to them.”

Carter also said he would have gladly traded some of those yards for points with the Ravens now at 1-3 overall and having just four games left to play in the regular season. They have a bye-week coming up before they take on the Ottawa Gee-Gees in the annual Panda game at TD Place stadium on Sept. 30.

“I hope the guys can take this week to really learn from this loss,” Carter said. “It’s going to be a grind for the rest of the season to get into the playoffs, so this bye week is going to be crucial for us to take that next step.”

The Warriors’ McConnell completed 29 of 43 passes for 477 yards and four touchdowns. Arruda was 20-for-39 for 348 yards and three scores.

The Warriors had 679 yards of total offence, while the Ravens had 635.

Saturday’s result lifted the Warriors to 4-0, meaning the worst they can finish is 4-4 and that’s often enough to qualify for the playoffs. It’s amazing how the culture has changed under coach Chris Bertoia, now in his third season.

“This team believes right now and the team that I took over two years ago would have lost 70-10. Those times have changed,” Bertoia said. “Overall the second half was outstanding. All we talked about was winning the second half. I didn’t even talk about winning the game, just the second half. Things started to go our way and it was nice to pull that out.”

Ottawa Gee-Gees logo

Marauders 24, Gee-Gees 7

The Gee-Gees’ unbeaten start to the season ended Saturday with a 24-7 defeat against the McMaster Marauders in Hamilton.

The Gee-Gees (3-1) led 4-0 at half-time on a field goal and a single by kicker Lewis Ward, but the Marauders (2-1) responded with 22 consecutive points to start the second half before Lewis kicked a 29-yard field goal with just over five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The Marauders closed out the scoring in the final minute with their second safety of the game.

Worse than the loss was the fact that the Gee-Gees had only 138 yards of total offence, compared to 385 for the Marauders, and just 11 first downs.

First-year quarterback Alex Lavric, who took over after veteran Victor Twynstra was injured in the opening quarter, completed just 14 of 36 passes for 133 yards.

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